Franchise News

OC METRO - PAUL MURPHY, CEO

As CEO of Del Taco, Murphy oversees the 550-unit chain's daily operations. Follow along on one of his typically packed workdays.
With a recent vote of confidence from Consumer Reports magazine, which put Del Taco on top in the "Best Value for Your Money" category for fast food, Paul Murphy is on a roll.
Del Taco has new products — including the CrunchTada Tostada, the most successful new product Del Taco's history — new locations, continued operational initiatives in the pipeline, and record sales in 2014.
Murphy is busy helping the company expand while holding true to Del Taco's commitment to provide fresh, made-to-order food at a good value.
With almost six years at the helm of Del Taco, and 30-plus years of restaurant industry experience, Murphy is well equipped to continue driving the company forward.
6:30 AM – Smooth Start – Paul jump-starts his morning with a homemade fruit-and-vegetable smoothie.
8:15 AM – New Market Deliveries – Del Taco's food-service distributor, MBM Corp., updates him on delivery strategy for the company's new locations.
8:55 AM – Until Next Time – After the meeting, the team cross-checks calendars to schedule the next update at headquarters.
9:03 AM – Checking In – Paul takes a few minutes to return voice mails and make calls between meetings.
9:10 AM – Daily Schedule Review – Every morning, he meets with his executive assistant, Melissa Duchesne, to review his schedule for the day.
10:00 AM – Ad Campaign – Paul and Marketing VP Noah Chillingworth meet with Roger Camp of Camp + King to discuss the launch of Fresca Bowls.
11:10 AM – Staying Current – He gets a quick update from marketing manager Megan Paul.
11:30 AM – Franchise Focus – Lunching with franchisee Rob Shapiro to discuss the completion of his remodel.
1:00 PM – Expansion Plans – With Del Taco franchise interest at an all-time high, the real estate team reviews potential sites for new restaurants across the country.
1:30 PM – Executive Decisions – The Del Taco executive team discusses sales growth and how to end the fiscal year strong.
2:45 PM – Product Testing – R&D Director Anne Albertine and Paul enjoy a taste of the new Fresca Bowls, which feature marinated grilled chicken, seasoned black beans and fresca lime rice.
3:00 PM – Leading The Team – Every other month, Paul holds a training session for general managers to discuss leadership skills and more.
4:30 PM – A Fresh Start – Westminister Del Taco GM Melody Torres opend the cooler displaying the firm's fresh ingredients including 40-pound blocks of cheddar cheese, and tomatoes, onions and cilantro chopped daily for their pico de gallo.
4:40 PM – Turkey Time – Paul enjoys a Turkey Taco, a menu item launched earlier this year.
4:55 PM – May I Help You? – Del Taco implemented a drive-thru 10 years earlier than McDonald's.
5:10 PM – Praise – Before heading home, Paul offers his appreciation to restaurant associates, who make sure Del Taco's food is made to order fresh and served with a smile.
7:00 PM – An Evening Stroll – After a busy day at Del Taco, Paul and his wine, Jessica, end the evening with a walk through Corona del Mar.
> 17 - The number of states where you can find a Del Taco. The region with the most Del Taco stores is Southern California, including Los Angeles and Orange County.
> 9.5 Million customers are served at Del Taco drive-thrus each month.
> The first Del Taco restaurant was founded in 1964 in Yermo, California by Ed Hackbarth and David Jameson. On the first official day of business, the eatery made $169.